Crowds of hundreds — blocking off streets for car burnouts, donuts, and racing — gathered in at least five Massachusetts communities overnight Saturday, with some groups allegedly attacking police cars and shooting off fireworks.

But, what are these so-called car meet-ups, or vehicle takeovers, and why did so many pop up in Massachusetts communities on the same weekend? Police responded to similar incidents in Boston, Fall River, Middleborough, Dedham, and Randolph overnight Saturday, according to police reports.

“As of right now, it looks like they are all connected, all the incidents, specifically the one in Boston, but also Middleborough, Westwood, Norwood, in Dedham,” Randolph Police Chief Anthony Marag told the Town Council Tuesday . “This has been going on two months in Randolph

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